What sensibilities to you need to develop to be successful in a Contact Jam?

trust: you need to be able to allow yourself to relax and be guided by the group. If you feel anxious or nervous your body will tense up, this could be harmful to you and your peers as you wont be able to take as much weight as you could when your body is soft.

awareness: you must be aware of what is going on in your jam. Do not mistake awareness for thinking about what movements your are going to do as this will only hinder the exercise. Awareness is simply being conscious of those around you so that your are able to respond to their movements. If you are inside you own head, you wont be able to respond and your movements will likely clash and the exercise will be pointless.

fluid: your body has to be soft and flexible, Able to take the weight of your peers. If your body is rigid it will be harder for you and your peers to create natural and flowing movements. Be soft and gentle whilst being a strong support when needed.

switch off: you have to just go with it, don't filter any of your movements and just feel your way through the exercise. The only way to do the exercise wrong is by thinking about what to do. You have to just turn off your brain and be completely immersed in moving with others naturally, fluidly and softly.

Why is it important for you do be able to listen and be honest during contact improvisation work?

You have to listen to your partner as responding is crucial to creating an effective contact improvisation. Contact impro only works when all parties are working together and is not a solo exercise. You cannot only focus on yourself because you will miss what your partner is telling you, you will miss opportunities your partner is offering you. You also have to listen because you have to make sure your not hurting your partner. There may be instances where they are taking your whole body weight and if their body is not soft, they may not be able to take the weight. If you are not listening to their reaction you may harm them without realising.

You have to be honest with your movements. Do not filter your impulses and just allow yourself to go with what happens. If you think about your movements they will not be natural or organic. This will lead to a frigid, static and ineffective contact improvisation.

Evaluate the benefits of the Ball of Energy exercise. What is your opinion to it?

This process prepares you for contact improvisation as you begin to stop relying on your brain and start using instincts, and letting impulse control your movements, not your brain. You spontaneously devise interesting and unique ways to move about the space, these can be used as material in physical theatre performances. It allows you to explore your body and find interesting and bizarre points to move from, as I started to move from my shoulder blades, which left me slightly confused in the beginning but this then led to me finding a new way to move.

I enjoyed it because your become immersed within your own bubble of consciousness and start to focus purely on movement, making the exercise almost therapeutic. Its a good warm up and makes your body naturally fluid and soft.

Describe the process of conducting the Ball of Energy exercise.

The ball of energy exercise requires you to imagine that there is an energy ball moving around the inside of your body. This ball guides you around the space, pulling you along.  It can move to any part of the body or any direction, the pace is supposed to vary, speeding up and slowing down spontaneously.  You can explore levels also, using the floor whilst being pulled by the ball of energy.

Over a period of time, once I gotten used to the exercise, I was able to find a balance between being aware and acting impulsively. When you focus purely on imagining the ball of energy it almost becomes a reality and you can rely on your instincts to guide you and not have to think about the action. You begin to forget its an exercise.  Through improvising this you also find really interesting ways to move in a space, things I would have not have thought of if I had planned the activity. The process is very good for creating material for solo pieces.

What qualities do you need to be successful at Contact Impro?

To be successful at contact impro you need to be focused and immersed. You need to ignore your mental awareness and criticisms and allow yourself to be completely in the moment. When you do that you will be able to make your body soft and your movements fluid. When find yourself in the present and letting your instincts take control you will be able move with your partner with originality and spontaneity. You will need to be fluid with your movements and transitions, done be rigid. Need to be open with your partner and relaxed with your partner. Honestly responding to their movements, dynamics and tempo. A connection between you as partners that incorporates trust and playfulness. 

You need to be aware of your partner and able to respond to them, you must be fully focused to do this as if you aren't you wont be able to pick up and absorb their energy into your own movements.

Who invented it and why?

The form was created in 1972 by Steve Paxton. Steve developed Contact Improv through explorations with his students and colleagues at the time. It was invented because Paxton wanted to create it 

What is Contact Improvisation?

Dance improvisation form is based on energy and weight exchange. Physical contact is the starting point for exploration of movement, it is all improvised and nothing is planned. The form is very much in the moment and almost sub conscious. The performers must ignore their mental commentary and focus purely on the instictual movements that occur. Both partners respond to eachother and transfer eachothers energy into their movements. Its used as a proffesional dance form, most commonly used to find material for choreographies. It can also be used as a social art form, strengthening relationships. There is no winner or loser its a mutual relationship between two people in which they create an improvised form of expression. Steve developed Contact Improv through explorations with his students and colleagues at the time.